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39
III.—SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
Scavenging.—I am informed by the Public Cleansing Officer that there
have been no extensions or improvements during the year in the services
controlled by the Public Cleansing Department.
Shops Act, 1934.—1,653 inspections were carried out during the year.
It was found necessary to serve 59 notices, i.e., 24 with respect to sanitary
accommodation, 17 to ventilation, and 18 with respect to temperature. No
applications were received for exemption under Section 10(2) of the Act.
Human Remains.—A licence was issued by the Home Office for the
exhumation of human remains from the vaults of the Tower Hamlets Mission
(Children's Hall) and for their reinterment at Brookwood Cemetery. The
exhumation was supervised by a Sanitary Inspector and commenced on
22nd November and finished on 15th December. It involved the removal
of 800 to 1,000 bodies which were placed in 226 cases.
Pharmacy and Poisons Act, 1933.—8 persons were entered in the List
of Persons entitled to sell Poisons included in part II of the Poisons List.
6 were removed from the list as the sale of poisons was given up, and the total
number on the List is 82. 289 inspections and visits were made by the sanitary
inspectors during the year.
Legal proceedings were taken in respect to the sale of poisons at premises
not listed by this Authority. £2 2s. 0d. costs were imposed.
Smoke Nuisances.—438 observations were made by the Sanitary Inspectors
for the detection of nuisances from smoke, which necessitated the serving
of 66 Intimations for the abatement of the nuisance.
Complaints.—2,809 written complaints were made to me during the
year, which were duly investigated. Of these 105 were from H.M. Inspector
of Factories relating to workshops, 121 from the London County Council
respecting verminous school children, 3 from the London County Council
respecting premises under the Shops Act, 1934, and 2,580 related to the
condition of houses, etc. In addition inspections were made as a result of
complaints made to the Sanitary Inspectors.
Drainage.—The Sanitary Inspectors supervise all drainage work. Full
particulars as to the work done by them are given on pages 50 and 51. 2,146
drains were tested during the year. Of these, 357 were found to be defective.
Improvements were effected in the sanitation of a school in the Borough
by the replacement of 19 trough closets with 17 modern pans and traps
Rats and Mice.—During the year 916 complaints were received as to
nuisances from rats or mice. As a consequence 938 drains were tested and
in 358 instances they were found to be defective. 410 complaints were
forwarded to the Borough Engineer and Surveyor, so that the Council's
ratcatchers could call and assist the tenants concerned.
I am indebted to the Borough Engineer and Surveyor for the following
information as to work carried out during the year by his department.